


I and Love and You

by Onelinewonder



Category: Harvest Moon, 牧場物語つながる新天地 | Story of Seasons
Genre: Drabbles, F/M, Friendship, Love, Romance, Short Stories, Some Cursing, Unrequited Love, cigarettes and coffee, relationships, tense situations
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-15
Updated: 2017-05-05
Packaged: 2018-06-02 10:59:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 6,151
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6563551
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Onelinewonder/pseuds/Onelinewonder
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A series of drabbles and short stories that are related in various ways. Non-linear, stories focusing on imagery and simplicity. I'll probably write a variety of characters from story of seasons, but if there are any specific characters you'd like to see, let me know.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

I and Love and You

            Annie stepped off the cobblestone platform after the train lurched to a stop. Right hand on her luggage, left hand holding her straw hat onto her head, she took the first steps towards her new life. In just a few feet, she would be walking through the large, wooden gates leading into Oak Tree Town, her new home for the next few years of her life. She inhaled shakily, pushing herself forward.

            In the summer of her twentieth year, there was a man who entered Annie's life, irrevocably entangling himself with everything she loved.

            His soft white hair brushing against her warm skin; his rough, dark hands tracing circles on her lower back, and the sun…The sun was setting. Within the reds, yellows, and oranges, she found herself entranced, unable to look away. Dew covered grass kissed her bare legs as she leaned back, eyes never leaving the sky. He turned, looking down at her, eyes begging for attention. Her caramel ones found their way to his - sparkling like rubies in the slow, dimming light.  

            “Hello, you must be Annie.” A woman greeted as Annie quietly slipped through the door of what appeared to be a town hall. She nodded, her strawberry locks bouncing around her thin face,

            “Mhm.” She hummed, “You must be Miss Veronica.” She said, reaching out her hand, “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you." The woman smiled, never breaking her elegant demeanor, and motioned for Annie to follow her. They left as the sun had began to set- dark blues and violets emerging from underneath the once lightly colored sky.

            During the winter of her twenty-first year, just a few days short of her birthday, Annie had awoken during the early hours of the morning.

            A cigarette hanging from her pale, chapped lips, she slipped out though the screen door of her apartment. He was sitting on the concrete steps, watching as the sky, yet again, turned from those dark blues and violets to the mesmerizing reds, yellows, and oranges Annie so loved. Knees cracking as she took her place beside him, she scooted closer, resting her head on his shoulder. “You always watch the sunset; you’ve never watched the sunrise.”

            Annie lifted her head, staring into his cold, dark eyes. They didn’t sparkle the same as they had the summer when they first met. “I’m leaving.” He said, and she knew he meant it that time.

            “You’ll be staying with Madam Eda until your house is finished; I’m sorry if I didn’t make that clear over the phone.” Veronica said, sighing has she tucked a copper strand of hair behind her ear. “I’m sure this move has been just as chaotic for you as it has been for us.” She smiled faintly, scanning the distance surrounding the fields. Annie shrugged her shoulders,

            “I’m sure it won’t be a problem.” She replied, nodding towards the older woman, Eda. “It will do me good to learn the techniques before being on my own.” Eda chuckled, waving her hand towards the quaint, yellow house.

            “Come now, say goodbye to Veronica and let’s get you some sleep. You have a big day tomorrow.” Eda said, heading home as Annie waved goodbye.

            “Fritz will be quite excited to meet you here soon,”  Eda said as Annie caught up with her. “He’s excited to have a new ‘farming rival’, as he likes to put it, but I don’t doubt that he’ll be any less pleased to see what a looker you are,” Eda teased, shaking her head. “You have to watch out for that one; he’s a fireball.” Annie’s grin melted off her face as she glanced up towards the night sky.

            A farmer, a gardener…What difference did it make?

            By the time he finally stood up from the concrete steps, the sun had already risen to the sky. The cold, winter wind licked Annie’s bare skin. A lighter, another cigarette, and a cold cup of coffee…Her hands - shaking. He said, “I love you.”

            Annie mumbled the words back under her breath, lips frozen, eyes glued to the ground.  


	2. Head Full of Doubt

Head Full of Doubt

      Fritz felt the cold water of the river rush over his hot, sun kissed skin. Arms spread out, he floated at just the top, suspended in the cool water. Eyes squinting towards the sky, he watched the clouds shift as the wind pulled them about in various directions - thin wisps of white reaching towards the north until they separated completely.

      The early evening cicadas had already begun to chirp, calling out for their friends to emerge with them. Their loud calls echoing through Piedmont’s clearing, demanding his full attention. Minutes passed as he drifted in silence, watching the clouds, listening to the insects. Eventually, the very tips of his fingers intertwined with a long, sturdy string floating next to him. It jerked violently, paired with a woman’s voice, scolding him for his daydreaming. “Fritz, you’re going to get all wrapped up in my fishing line.” Annie sighed, reeling the string in before he could ruin it further.

      His silence - his moment of peace - was disturbed just as quickly as it had begun. He was destroying something again. “I didn’t always want to be a farmer, you know?” He asked, drifting further down the stream, never bothering to move out of the way.

      Piles of books surrounded him as he sat at his desk, pouring over the meaningless words before him. The clock read five-thirty in the morning and the sun would be rising through the window soon, signaling that it was time for him to go to class. He had lost track of how many hours he had spent working on homework that night on top of his shift at the local fast-food restaurant. His mother had always wanted him to get a college education; it was mentioned in her will after she passed away. As a single mother, she had done everything she possibly could’ve for her son, even if that meant saving what little extra cash she earned so he could attend college.

      “I don’t think anyone ever wants to be a farmer.” Annie rolled her eyes coldly, casting her fishing line back out into the river. “I wanted to be an artist.” Fritz nodded his head, paddling back towards the dock. The temperature was starting to drop and the river no longer felt refreshing. He shivered, pulling himself up out of the water and laying down next to Annie. The warm wood radiated throughout his soaking clothes.

      Numbers and equations, equations and numbers…Over and over, countless numbers filled the once white, blank pages until there was nothing else. Just numbers and equations. Fritz wasn’t even sure if he knew what he was doing, he was just mindlessly writing - no - scribbling, furiously over the pages. There were only a few more problems left - just five more and then he could sleep for maybe an hour or even two. A little rest is better than none, but the quality of work he was producing was terrible. Another poor mark and he’d have, at the very most, a D in the class.

      One more like that and his grade point average would drop just a little more.

      “I thought I wanted to be an astronomer or a physicist; I used to love everything with math.” Fritz said, tracing patterns into the dock with droplets of water. Annie shrugged her shoulders,

      “Sometimes things just don’t work out the way you plan.” She said, never looking away from the river. Her voice was softer, just a little gentler than before, “You could be a great farmer.” Fritz rolled onto his back, looking back up at the sky. The sun was setting and he knew Annie would want to leave sooner rather than later. She hated sunsets for reasons unknown to him.

      The Dean of Student’s office was darker than Fritz had originally expected. Faux leather covered every piece of furniture aside from the tall book cases and the wooden desk. Hands damp with sweat, Fritz took his seat, hanging his head low. “Some people just aren’t cut out for college.”


	3. Road Full of Promise

Road Full of Promise

            Damp, warm soil squished beneath her toes as she hunched over, cutting the vines that held her ripened watermelons hostage beneath the summer sun. The heat beating down on her bare, tanned back, she dug her heels into the ground, lifting the beast of a fruit up into the air with pure triumph. Sweat dripping down her face, she gave a lopsided grin, looking for approval in the porcelain features of her new friendly rival – her jade colored eyes shimmering in the sunlight, rivaling the precious gemstone. The blond placed her hands on her hips, lips curling upwards in a mixture of a proud smile and an envious sneer,

            “I guess you’re not completely hopeless after all,” Elise said, her voice draped with obvious jealously. How was her three year operation falling so quickly behind her rival’s two seasoned, rookie startup? Well, Annie couldn’t possibly bother herself with looking too far into the woman’s half-complimentary-half-resentful words. Elise and her two faces never phased her much, and besides, whenever she was putting on a good show, she wasn’t bad company. Annie certainly found more solace in the company of a princess than the others.

            Fritz with his obnoxiousness; Giorgio with his pretentiousness.

            It was Elise and Annie, stuck together as the only two, young women in a traditionally male dominated profession. And, although Annie was friends with Fritz and Giorgio, she had to admit that it was nice to have someone as ambitious as Elise competing against her. Even if Elise didn’t do all of the farm work, she was still a successful business woman coordinating her fields appropriately to the fluctuating stock markets of the other countries. Elise had told Annie that there were days where all she did was study and predict the demands of certain crops.

            Annie, on the other hand, bought her seeds haphazardly. But, through blood, sweat and tears she poured her dreams of a future into her fields, producing not only the ripest of vegetables, but also the sweetest of fruits.  

            “I’ve never been completely hopeless,” Annie said, resting her watermelon on her hip. “You have me confused with a different redhead.”

            Elise rolled her eyes into the back of her head, turning towards the gate of Annie’s property. “He acts like he doesn’t even know how to run a farm, yet he still somehow manages to make a profit. I’m surprised he hasn’t been evicted from his house.”

            Annie snickered, “You shouldn’t be so harsh; it wasn’t his plan to end up out here.” Elise raised one of her perfectly plucked eyebrows,

            “Did any of us?” She asked.

           

 

            Still woozy from the night before, Annie stumbled up to the rundown counter of the city’s train station. Her memory was still patchy from her first night spent alone in three years. _How did it come to this?_ A trembling hand slapped a pile of bills down as the other desperately searched her purse for another cigarette. The Ticketmaster furrowed his bushy brows, dark brown eyes glinting with worry in the fluorescent light of the lobby.

            “Ma’am, are you alright?” He asked as Annie struggled to get a light, “You shouldn’t smoke, you know. They say smoking causes cancer now.” Finally, her small thumb got the flint to strike. After a long drag she let out a billow of smoke, looking the man dead in the eyes. Could he tell how hollow she felt?

            “One ticket to the middle of **fucking** nowhere, please.”


	4. January Wedding

January Wedding

            Melodic, stringed instruments filled the air as couples spun around the dance floor, laughing and swaying. Annie watched as Raeger dipped his new wife  just as the song ended, kissing her on her small, pink lips. Lillie blushed, pushing her short brown hair behind her ear as Raeger returned her to her feet, his hand on the small of her back. A grin slowly spread across Annie’s lips as the two returned to dancing, spinning around on the wooden, makeshift dance floor of the guild office.

            “Raeger sure does seem happy, doesn’t he?” Fritz asked. He nudged Annie’s arm as they sat on one of the old, small benches pushed off to the side of the dance floor. A heavy frown replaced the fleeting smile on Annie’s face, shrugging her shoulders as she glanced up at the flowery decoration hanging from the rafters of the tall building. “Awh, don’t be like that, Ann, just enjoy the wedding.” He pouted, crossing his arms as his lower lip jutted out childishly. Annie snorted in response, returning his nudge from before,

            “Don’t call me Ann.” She replied sternly, just before a giggle escaped her lips, unable to hide her amusement. “I’m enjoying myself just fine sitting here, watching.” Fritz furrowed his thin eyebrows, as his brown, puppy-dog-eyes widened,

            “How could you say that? Sitting here watching isn’t much fun – why don’t you dance with me?” He asked, standing up, hand reaching out to her. Annie looked down at his palm, focusing on his thick calluses from hours of farm work.

            “I don’t dance.” She mumbled.

…

            “…I don’t…I don’t dance.” He said nervously, twisting his hands together in his lap. Annie laughed, shaking her head, causing her strawberry curls to bounce around her bright face. Hands on her hands, she smirked,

            “Whaddya mean you _don’t dance_?” She asked, southern drawl accenting her country phrases as she waved her hand towards the dance floor of her best friend’s wedding, “Everyone dances around here – Gee, how did you even get invited to this thing anyways? Rio said you were one of Neil’s friends – someone he picked up from the city, but you don’t look the type.” Annie nodded to the black bandanna around his head, white locks of hair shaggy around his face.

            The man looked up at her, his ruby red eyes glinting in the dim lighting of the barn Rio had decorated for her wedding reception. “I don’t even know your name.” Heart fluttering, Annie felt her already pink cheeks heat up.

            Had she really drank so much wine that she forgot to introduce herself? Rio and Neil had been psyching her up all night to get the courage to ask him to dance, and she forgot to tell him her _name_? Was she really that much of a country bumpkin?

            “I-I – oh, I’m Annie. Rio’s best friend…I’m not from here.” She stuttered, placing her hand on the back of her neck.

            He nodded his head, sticking out his hand, “Nadi.”

…

            Fritz sighed, returning to his seat next to Annie. “That’s all right; you don’t have to dance if you don’t want to.” Annie nodded her head, already drowning out the sound of his voice, lost in her own thoughts. “It’s crazy to think Raeger finally got married, huh?” He asked as Annie leaned her head on his shoulder, looping her arm around his. She watched the rest of the town dance around, smiling, laughing, and drinking. Fritz stiffened under the weight of her body resting on his, heat radiating off her skin. He swallowed, “You don’t like weddings that much, do you?”

…

            “I _told_ you up front when we first got together that I wasn’t the one to settle down anywhere.” Nadi growled as he carried his bags to the front door of their apartment. Tears began to spill over Annie’s eyes, rolling down her soft, pink cheeks and causing her eyelashes to stick together in that really annoying way she always hated. “You _knew_ what you were getting yourself into when you followed me here!”

            “I _never_ asked you to settle down! I just asked you to stop leaving – you’re always _fucking_ leaving me!” She screamed, stomping her heel into the ground.

            “What were you expecting? A big, white wedding just like the one Rio and Neil had that night we met? That’s not me – I’m never going to be the man you want me to be, so you might as well go back to Echo Village!” Nadi yelled back, pushing past her as he headed towards the yellow, taxi cab waiting in their driveway.

            “If you knew anything about me at all, you’d know that I’m not from Echo Village.” Annie choked back sobs. It felt as though her entire body was on the verge of breaking into a million little pieces. Nadi looked back at her, opening the door to the cab. She watched him, clinging to the frame of the front door for support, “I might not be here when you come back this time.” She said as he turned around, sliding into the back seat of the car.


	5. And It Spread

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "And it spread into my heart"
> 
> I guess I haven't been subtle about any of the chapter titles. Most of the inspiration for these drabbles comes from the album "I and Love and You" by the Avett Brothers. I am aiming to do a chapter for each song and then I will choose a different album possibly by a different artist possibly another Avett Brothers album. My love for them is endless.

And It Spread

            Hand gripping the brim of her large, floppy sunhat, Elise inhaled deeply as she leaned against the glass picnic table on her parent’s backyard patio. The old, rusty red bricks looked dark against her light blue heels as she stared at the ground, unwilling to converse with her parent’s guests. She settled for a dainty smile here and there, flashing two perfectly straight rows of pearly white teeth every so often as the older couples passed by her, their gazes barely straddling the line between being impressed and pitiful. In the years before, it had never bothered her that she was the only sibling that had never been interested with finding a partner – her elder sister had already had plenty of companions over the years, and, of course, a plethora of heartbreaks had followed before she finally found “the one” their parents so often described. ‘Oh, Elise, you’ll find _the one_ eventually, you just have to be patient,’ they would say to her, patting her on the shoulder before offering more wine to their eldest daughter and new found son-in-law.

            “Dinner parties have always been a drag, haven’t they?” A younger man asked. His youthful face placed him at younger than Elise’s sister, yet just a year or two older than Elise herself. Startled by his deep voice, Elise jumped, placing her hand over her chest – just the way her southern belle of a mother had taught her to do. Her words ringing in the young blonde’s ears, ‘no, Elise, if you really want to impress a man, you’ve got to let him think he’s in charge – remember, you’re just a _lady_ , after all.’

            Chest burning as her fists clenched at her sides, Elise smiled pleasantly, but she wondered if it was good enough to hide the disgust she felt. How could she have let her mother brainwash her into thinking that the only way to impress a man was to act like a lady? Elise _was_ far from the pristine image her parents painted her and often spent her afternoon tea time tending to her garden of fruits and vegetables. “I-I,” Elise stuttered, her face flushing with heat as she tried to think of a witty-yet-charming response. “I’m sorry, have we met before? The level of sarcasm in my response will depend on how acquainted you are with my parents.” She said dryly, earning a surprised chuckle.

            “I don’t believe we’ve met before; my name is Will. My parents are friends of your parents, but I was surprised when they invited me to the party as well.” His smile reached all the way to his eyes as he stuck out his hand, “And you are?”

            “Elise,” She replied catching her mother’s eye as she glided past, steering her sister away from interrupting the conversation. It was, no doubt, another set up by her manipulative mother who was always messing around in her love life. “I’m sorry; I think I just heard my mother calling for me.” Elise said, frowning as she pushed past Will.

            “You know, you don’t have to make excuses to not speak with me.” He sighed, turning away, “I can assure you no one forced me to come here nor was I coaxed into approaching you. You were standing alone and I thought you might want some company.” Elise stiffened, peering over her shoulder,

            “So my mother _didn’t_ pay you to talk to me?” She asked, watching as it was his turn for his face to turn red.

            “My word! Don’t tell me you have the misfortune of meddling parents!” He said, shaking his head as she replied with a nod. “Well, that makes both of us. Care to accompany me to dinner sometime? At least now we know we have something to bond over.”

            Elise snorted before reluctantly agreeing to his proposal, her heart hammering against the confines of her chest as she watched him walk away.

…

            “Oh, come on Elise, don’t be like that!” Annie scolded as she tossed a plush, red pillow at her face. “Can’t we just be excited for Lillie? She’s finally got a date!” Lillie blushed, pulling her blanket up over her head,

            “It’s _just_ a date, Annie. Nothing to get excited about…” Lillie sighed before bursting into another round of giggles. Elise felt her stomach churn as she listened to the two girls gush about their crushes and potential boyfriends – goddess, what were they, twelve?

            “See?” Elise asked, nodding her head towards the lump that was known as Lillie, curled up on her bedroom floor. “She said it, not me.” Annie frowned in response, crossing her arms,

            “And I suppose you’ve never had the pleasure going on a date, otherwise you’d know how exciting this is for her.” She said, challenging the blonde. Elise narrowed her eyes,

            “I have and I can’t say it was worth it.”

…

            “You’re moving away.” Elise said as she pushed out from the chair she’d been sitting in. “How do you want me to act, Will? I can’t say I’m exactly _pleased_ with the situation.” Her words tasted like venom as she spat them out, unable to look him in the eyes. “Just...Get on your stupid boat and leave already – but, don’t expect me to be here when you come back.”

            Will sat his glass of wine down on the wooden table as he looked away, “I wasn’t expecting you to.”

            Chest burning, Elise could feel a lump begin to form in her throat as tears welled in her eyes. She stood with her back to him until she heard him excuse himself, walking away from yet another fight. He was never the one for confrontation; she was ‘too much to handle.’

…

            “Well, is there anyone you like around here?” Lillie asked Elise, her eyes wide as if she actually expected an answer. A cough from across the room broke the tension as Annie’s caramel colored eyes met her green ones,

            “He’s from out of town, yeah?” The redhead asked as Elise’s brows pinched together. _What in the world is this girl trying to do to me? First we plan a slumber party out of all things and now…Chatting about boys as if we’re still in high school…_

            “I’ve never liked anyone.” Elise replied coldly, earning two hurt looks as a response. “Of course, that excludes you two,” She sighed, rolling her eyes into the back of her head and ignoring the warmth spreading to her cheeks as a small smile played upon her pink lips.


	6. The Perfect Space

The Perfect Space

Elise sat at the dining room table, birthday hat on as she toyed around with some of the silverware her mother had placed out. “What time do you think everyone will show up?” she asked boredly, fiddling with the uncomfortable, white string that held the bright pink party hat onto her small, blonde head. Her mother looked up from icing the cake,

“Soon dear, they’ll be here soon,” she said, sighing at her daughter’s question. Elise bit her lip, furrowing her brow every so slightly as she glanced towards the clock on their kitchen wall. It was almost noon and she knew for a fact her mother had sent out the invitations for guests to arrive  _ at _ noon and no later, because there would be lunch  _ and then _ cake, not the other way around. But, unfortunately for the twelve-year-old, there wasn’t much she could do other than wait, and...maybe not bother her mother with so many questions…

So, she waited...and waited...and waited until it was nearly three p.m. and her mother could  no longer avoid answering her questions. “You  _ did _ send out the invitations, didn’t you?” Elise asked, pacing the length of the living room where her mother was sitting on the couch, enjoying a tall glass of wine.

The elder blonde nodded her head, rolling her emerald green eyes at her youngest daughter, “Yes, of course I did, dear. They’ll be here  _ soon _ .” Elise crossed her arms over her chest, scrunching up her nose in frustration,

“But...It’s already three and no one is here yet...I thought you made the invitations out for noon…” She fretted, running a small hand through her bouncy curls - her party hat was discarded hours ago.

“Elizabeth, dear, if you don’t stop complaining I won’t let anyone come over when they finally  _ do _ show up,” her mother said, shaking her head as she waved her daughter away. “Go on, go play with some toys while we wait for the guests to arrive.” 

Elise nodded her head and returned to her room, trying to shake the fear that she actually wouldn’t have any friends show up to her party at all, despite the sinking feeling in her stomach.  _ Well...Whatever...They’ll show up soon. I have friends...don’t I? _ She shook her head, sitting down on her bed, where she waited until the doorbell finally rang and her mother called her downstairs for cake. 

When Elise arrived in the kitchen, only two of her classmates had shown up, Helen and Kassidy, but that was quite alright with her. At least she had  _ someone _ to talk. For a few minutes, the girls chatted among themselves while Elise’s mother was still in the room, but as soon as she left it fell deftly silent.

“So...do you guys wanna play a game?” She asked, smiling awkwardly as the other two stared at her from across the table. Helen leaned in to whisper something into Kassidy’s ear before Kassidy sighed and nodded her head ‘yes’. Elise grinned, “Do you guys like Pirate’s Dice?”

Helen raised a dark brow, craning her neck to look at the front door, “What’s that? It sounds weird,” She said as Kassidy lightly punched the brunette in the arm, “I-I mean, sure, we  _ love _ pirate’s dice.” Elise bit her lip, glancing between her two classmates,

“You do? Oh great, it really is a fun game,” She said, sliding out from her chair, “But, uh, we don’t have to play if you don’t want to…” Kassidy pulled her lips into a tight smile, 

“We’d  _ love _ to play! But, say, when do you think Charles is going to stop by? You  _ did _ invite him, right?” She asked, resting her chin in the palm of her hand, still smiling sweetly. Elise nodded her head, wringing her hands together nervously as she tried to think of something clever to say to hide her fear that none of her other classmates were actually planning on showing up to her party.

“Y-yeah...of course I invited him...we’re like best friends or something...We hangout all the time…” Elise stumbled through her words, feeling the heat flush her porcelain cheeks as she turned her back on her friends, “I-I’ll be right back!” Heart thumping against her chest, Elise raced around the corner to the living room, stopping to take just enough time to grab her game from the hall closet before running towards her mother.

“Elise? Dear, what are you doing in here? Shouldn’t you be playing with your friends?” She asked, setting down her glass of wine as she crossed her legs. Elise glanced towards the hallway before spewing out a string of questions,

“Mom, please tell me you invited Charles Wickes! I think Helen and Kassidy are going to want to leave if they find out he’s not going to come...we’re not really good friends but I really want them to stay so if you could maybe call his mom and see what he’s doing I don’t know...But...please?” Elise asked, panting as she tried to get her question out. 

“Oh, honey, don’t worry. They’ll stay even if Charles doesn’t show up. They’re here because they’re your friends, remember?” Her mother grinned, patting Elise on the arm as she shooed her away.

Begrudgingly, the blonde crept back into the kitchen where Helen and Kassidy were waiting, clutching her game to her chest. “Kass, I swear to the Goddess if you drug me to this loser’s house and Charles doesn’t even show up I  _ will _ punch you in the gut.” Helen grumbled as Kassidy shushed her,

“Hey, hey, hey, look, it’s all going to be chill, alright? Elise’s family has a crap ton of cash and if we befriend her I bet we can get her to take us to do cool things. Alright? Trust me on this one.” Kassidy whispered, “We don’t have to actually be her friend; we’re just going to use her to get her to spend money on us.”

Elise felt her heart stop as she froze in her tracks, tears welling up in her eyes, “Oh, u-uhm, so here’s Pirate’s Dice...It’s a pretty cool game and all…” She said, lower lip trembling has she held back sobs. “I’ll teach you how to play.”

It was all she could do; she really didn’t have any friends after all.

…

“Hey, hey, hey, Kass, Helen,” Charles laughed, holding his arms out as he welcomed the two girls into a hug, “Welcome to my twentieth, beers are on the table, but I hope you all brought some of your own.” He winked, his icy blue eyes sparkling in the light. Helen and Kassidy giggled, blushing as he gestured towards Elise, who trailed closely behind them, carrying the booze that  _ she _ paid for and had her mother purchase from the store.

“Oh, don’t worry, we got Elizabeth to get us some of the good stuff,” Helen laughed, walking past Will and heading inside. Kassidy nodded in agreement,

“We told her not to spare a single penny, only the finest for  _ your _ birthday.”

Charles clutched his chest, “Ah, my dears, you shouldn’t have.” Laughing, he watched as the two walked in and left Elise standing outside. “Here, let me take that off your hands,” He said, reaching for the bottles in Elise’s hands. Elise smiled,

“Sure, thanks a million,” She said gratefully, “I really do appreciate the help.” Charles smiled and nodded pausing before the door,

“Right, no problem. But...Sorry to make this so awkward, but this is an invitation only party and, if I do so recall, I only invited Helen and Kassidy,” Charles sighed, running a hand through his dark, chestnut hair. “So...See you later.”

Elise took a step back, smiling as she nodded and watched Charles slam the door in her face.  _ Right. They got what they wanted all those years ago, I suppose, _ she thought to herself.  _ One of these days I’ll have real friends… _

_ Friends who love me for the person I am and not for my parents’ money… _

_ Friends who don’t care about things like money in the first place and friends who I can laugh and grow old with...Friends that actually care about me… _

_ But...When? _

_ … _

Elise pushed open the large, oak doors to the town hall guild to meet Veronica. Apparently, but mayor wanted to meet her for some unknown reason, but hopefully she could get out of there quickly enough and return to her work. There was so much for her to do, since it was the start of the spring season and all.

“Ah, Elise, thank you for joining us,” Veronica said, welcoming the Blonde as she entered the room. Elise nodded her head, ignoring the presence of another, stranger woman standing just a few feet away from her.

“Miss Veronica, I was told you wanted to see me,” Elise said confidently, holding her head up high to hide her discomfort. Veronica smiled, gesturing towards the other woman,

“We have a new farmer in town and I just wanted to introduce you two since you’ll be rivals here soon.” She laughed as the new girl glanced towards her in terror, “Annie, this is our best farmer in town: Elise Montgomery. I hope you two will get along well as you will be seeing a lot of each other.” Annie nodded her strawberry blonde head, looking Elise in the eyes with a kind of passion and determination that Elise had never seen before.

“Well, then I’m sure we’ll get along just fine,” she said, planting her hands on her hips.

Elise took a step back, raising a brow before her lip curled upwards into a small smirk, “Yes, I’m sure we will.”  

_ Could this be it? _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey thanks for all the likes and reviews! It really means a lot! I'm finally back with a quick update. I guess this is a little longer than all the other chapters, but I'm still trying to keep them short and sweet. Let me know what you think! Thanks for taking the time to read!


	7. Ten Thousand Words

Ten Thousand Words

Sighing, Nadi took a drag of his half-smoked cigarette, leaning his head back against the torn fabric of the couch as the blaring television melted into background noise. Hands shaking, he held out his arm and flicked the ashes into the stained, ceramic tray. It was late. Too late to be awake, and, as always, he was coming home from a night out. Alone.

Annie padded into the living room, her baby-blue robe slipping off her shoulder as she ran a hand through her messy, brown hair, yawning. "What time is it?" She asked, eyes bloodshot from lack of sleep. Nadi shrugged his shoulders, filling his lungs with another breath of smoke. "Where have you been all night?"

Nadi turned his head, avoiding her piercing gaze as he shrugged his shoulders again. Annie frowned, "Too drunk to speak?" She asked, folding her arms. "I can't believe you," She said, turning to return to her room. Nadi shrugged his shoulders one more time, watching her leave.

He was always watching her leave.

…

Annie stared wide-eyed out the frosty window of the taxi, "I've never seen buildings so... _tall_." She breathed out a gasp of excitement, "It's all so beautiful." Nadi smiled, watching as she pressed her face up to the glass as if she were a kid in a candy shop. He had never seen someone so fascinated by the blues and grays of a sleepy city, preparing for an early morning of work as the sun rose over the river.

"What's that over there?" Annie asked, pointing towards a group smokestacks in the distance, still bright with their yellow lights.

"That's an oil refinery," Nadi said, a smirk playing on his lips as he watched her with amusement.

"It looks like a small city."

…

Nadi gripped the cold cup of coffee in his hands as he sat on the concrete steps of their apartment. The sun was just beginning to rise, illuminating the broken, rundown houses that lined their street. Annie rested her head on his shoulder, shoving her hands in the pockets of her robe. Their breaths filled the air like smoke.

"I missed you last night," Annie whispered, chewing on her bottom lip. Nadi took a sip from his mug and reached for his last pack of cigarettes. "Where did you go?"

Nadi struggled to get a light as the bitter, winter wind began to pick up. "Out," he mumbled, holding a cigarette in his lips. Finally, he got it to light and took a drag.

"You're always going out."

And that was the thing with them.

They were always doing something—him, watching her leave. Her, wondering where he was. They were always wondering, always watching, always leaving, always lying.

Nadi shrugged his shoulders and turned his head away, "Look—have you ever seen something so beautiful?" he said, watching the sun peek out over the rooftops.

Annie stood up, opening the heavy screen door, "Come back in when you're ready to tell me where you've been."

…

Nadi slid into the taxi, sighing as he threw back his head and stared up at the ceiling.

"Got 'nother job, eh?" The cabbie driver asked, smirking in the rearview mirror. Nadi grunted in response, handing him a slip of paper with his next destination. "Hear you let your lady leave after ya ran out on 'er again."

"Goddess, Bryan," Nadi groaned, shaking his head as he pulled out his last cigarette. "Just drive."

"Oak Tree Town, huh? That's way out there in the boonies," Bryan frowned, reading the torn piece of paper. "Who's draggin' ya out there—hey, you can't smoke in here. You know the rules."

"It's just another job."

"Always been the one for short answers, huh?" Bryan chuckled, "Well, if yer sure yer lady ain't never comin' back, then I guess—"

"She's not."


End file.
